Accessibility services Questions

Accessibility Services (AS) is RPCC’s designated office to verify students’ eligibility for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). AS assists eligible students on an individual basis to develop and coordinate plans for the implementation of reasonable accommodations that are specific to their disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are offered in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Yes. Students will receive an Adobe Sign email asking for their signature in their RPCC student email account. After the student signs the letter acknowledging a qualifying accommodation, Adobe Sign will automatically send the letter to each instructor listed on the student's schedule. Once all signatures are captured, Adobe Sign will send a copy of the letter to the parties that provided a signature. To discuss how their accommodations will be used in each course, students should set up a meeting with each instructor.

Any changes (add/drop course) made to the student's schedule after distributing a letter should be communicated via email with the accessibility services coordinator immediately at [email protected]. Any changes to the student’s schedule may result in modification and redistribution of their letter.

Some accommodations that may have been granted in K-12 are not appropriate or suitable for a collegiate environment. Some examples of requests which cannot be granted by AS are:

Study Guides
While this accommodation is granted in K-12 it is not appropriate in higher education although on occasion individual instructors may provide students with study guides. Studying efficiently and effectively is an acquired skill that can be learned through working with several different resources on campus. It is recommended for students to work with the TRiO Student Support Services program for assistance with this. We encourage participation with these services early in the semester for maximum benefit. 

Extended Deadlines on Assignments
This is considered an alteration of an essential element of a course, so it is not granted by Accessibility Services given the condensed nature of college courses as compared to high school (16 weeks vs. year) due dates and timing of assignments outside of the classroom are extremely important. Sometimes extensions are needed and our office recommends students reach out to the instructors directly to request an extension before an assignment is due. Some professors are open to extensions on a limited basis, others are not. 

Students having difficulty meeting deadlines should work with the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program for assistance with time management. Students registered with our office automatically qualify for this free program. 

Alternative Assignments, Reduced Assignment Length, Reduced Reading Load
These course alterations of essential elements of a course are not accommodations granted by Accessibility Services. Students should work with instructors directly to see if any of these are a possibility. 

Assistance with Assignments
Accessibility Services does not assist with any form of editing, proofreading, or organizing. This is considered a personal service, which higher education institutions do not have to provide. Help is available to all students via Library Services and WorkReadyU.

Alternative Testing Methods
Any modification that is considered a change in form (such as essay to multiple choice or vice versa) is not granted by SAS as it is considered a fundamental alteration of a course. Minor changes such as scantron assistance, colored paper, paper-based exams, computers for essay questions, or large-print are accommodations that may be granted. Essentially changes cannot interfere with the content that the instructor is trying to assess. 

No, class attendance policies are determined by the department or the instructor of record, and class attendance is an expectation of all RPCC students. A statement regarding consideration for disability-related absences or tardiness may be added to your letter of accommodations, but it is only to alert the instructor that the student may have to miss class. 

If you are absent due to your undocumented disability, please contact the instructor for the course missed. The instructor will authenticate your doctor’s excuse and provide the final decision regarding the notice of the absence. To reach your instructor, please search for their name in the Faculty and Staff Directory.

No. While emotional support animals (ESAs) are considered comfort or assistance animals and they provide companionship, comfort, and may help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety, under federal law an ESA is NOT a service animal and are prohibited from accompanying a student to class. 

What is the Difference between a Service Animal and an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)? 

Service Animals

As defined by the US Department of Justice, a service animal is a dog, and in some cases, a miniature horse, that has been individually trained to perform a specific task, or tasks, for those with disabilities. There are no restrictions on the breed or size of a service dog. With an exception for reasonable health and safety issues, service animals may accompany their handler to any environment in which the general public is allowed. Service animals are not required to be registered or certified by any entity and handlers are not required to submit documentation indicating the animal is a service animal. They are also not required to wear identifying service animal vest or to carry a service animal license.

Service animals are NOT pets and should not be treated as such. Service animals are working animals and must be able to focus on their jobs. Service animals should not be petted, played with, or fed without the express permission of the handler.

Emotional Support Animals

Unlike service animals, emotional support animals are not recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Instead, they are recognized by the Federal Housing Act and the Air Carrier Access Act.  This means that emotional support animals or comfort animals are allowed in campus housing but are not allowed, as are service animals, access to public spaces, except public spaces also available to pets. Emotional support animals can also accompany owners on airplanes. Also, unlike service animals, people with emotional support animals are required to submit, to Accessibility Services, documentation from a qualified medical professional confirming a disability-related need for an emotional support animal in campus housing environment.

ESAs are also known as comfort or assistance animal and they provide companionship, comfort, and may help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Emotional support animals are not limited to dogs, as are service animals. Emotional support animals can be any animal that does not create a danger or hazard to the living environment or to those residing in the living environment.

Where can a Service Animal or an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) be excluded? 

Service animals and emotional support animals or comfort animals can only be excluded from an allowable environment if:

The handler is not in full control of the animal. A service animal must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered while in a public place, except when the use of such hinders or interferes with the duties of the service animal. In these situations, the handler must use voice commands, hand signals, or other means to control the animal. Handlers may not allow the animal to wander an environment.

The animal is disruptive or out of control and the handler does not take action to control the animal’s behavior. Examples of disruptive behavior include excessive barking and/or whining, damaging the property of the University or others, and threatening behavior including growling, snapping, or lunging.

The animal is not house-trained.

The animal poses a health or safety risk in a particular environment. For instance, a service animal may be allowed in a patient’s hospital room but not in a surgical suite or it may be allowed on the deck of a public pool but not in the pool itself.

The presence of a service animal or emotional support/comfort animal fundamentally alters a program or environment. In most settings, a service animal will not create a fundamental alteration of a program or environment. For example, a service animal may create a fundamental alteration if a residence hall has set aside an area specifically for students who have allergies to dogs.

More information about service animals and emotional support/comfort animals can be found at the links below:

ADA Requirements for Service Animals 
FAQs About Service Animals and the ADA 
Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals

IEPs do NOT apply in college. While an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan can provide valuable information, they will not serve as documentation of a disability in lieu of documents from a certified medical provider. Evaluation by a qualified professional with expertise in the area of your disability is required. You will need to provide appropriate medical or psychological documentation completed by a qualified professional. (See handbook for guidelines.)

Registration for disability accommodations is optional for students.

Accessibility Services encourages students with disabilities who need accommodations to register as soon as possible.

Instructors of record for your courses are notified via email of your accommodations. The email will contain a list of all the approved accommodations.

If you are registered with Accessibility Services, letters are sent in the weeks before the start of a semester. If you register after the beginning of the semester, your accommodations are emailed out after the start of the semester. You and the instructors will receive a copy of the letter via email from Adobe Sign when all signatures are obtained. These can be found in your RPCC email account (@students.rpcc.edu).

If you believe that a letter was not sent to your professor or your professor says that they have not received your letter, please contact the office immediately at 225.743.8526 or [email protected].

If you change your course schedule after your accommodation letters have been sent out or you come back to RPCC after taking a Fall or Spring semester off, be sure to contact our office to let us know this information. If you do not contact our office to inform us of these events, your professors may not be notified of your accommodations. 

Students who wish to register for services must complete an application and submit appropriate disability documentation (see documentation guidelines), which is available on the RPCC website. The Accessibility Services Coordinator will review your documentation to determine eligibility for services. If accommodations are warranted, you will receive letters attached in an email from the Accessibility Services Coordinator.
Students typically complete the registration process during individualized meetings with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. Federal law prohibits sharing a student’s information with any third party, including parents/guardians, without written consent. As a student support resource on campus, our goal is to empower students with the information and tools to advocate for their success as RPCC students. For more information, please refer to the handbook section that discusses confidentiality.

Accessibility Services (AS) respects students’ privacy and keeps information related to students’ disability confidential. Communication with other campus offices or instructors is limited to providing guidance on how to implement approved accommodations. With a student’s permission or request, AS will consult with parents, spouses, faculty, staff and relevant professionals. AS does not disclose information about a student’s disability or the nature of the disability unless the student specifically requests AS to do so. Student records are kept electronically encrypted and only AS staff have access.

Students may request that more information be shared with parents or spouses by completing a FERPA Consent Form. For questions about FERPA or the FERPA Consent Form, please contact the College Registrar's Office at 985.248.8511 or [email protected]. The completed FERPA Consent Form should be sent to the College Registrar's Office directly. 

Students typically complete the registration process during individualized meetings with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. Federal law prohibits sharing a student’s information with any third party, including parents/guardians, without written consent. As a student support resource on campus, our goal is to empower students with the information and tools to advocate for their success as RPCC students. For more information, please refer to the handbook section that discusses confidentiality.

Accommodations in college are supports and services provided to eligible students with disabilities to have equal access and opportunity to benefit from classes, programs, and activities. They provide an alternative way to accomplish the course requirements by eliminating or reducing disability-related barriers.

Accommodations may be grouped into the following categories:

• Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process
• Removal of architectural barriers
• Modifications to policies, practices or procedures
• Provision of auxiliary aids and services

The College must provide equal access to postsecondary education for students with disabilities and make “reasonable accommodations” to support them. Accommodations could include physical changes, modifications to policies or practices, recording of lectures, and extended time for test-taking.

Accessibility Services (AS) assists students with learning disabilities (reading, writing, and math), mobility impairments, systemic or chronic illnesses and injuries, psychiatric impairments (including anxiety and depression), ADHD or ADD, hearing impairments, visual impairments, temporary disabilities, and pregnancies. 

If you are unsure if your disability or medical condition is covered, please contact our office at 225.743.8526 or [email protected].  

Academic accommodations include but are not limited to, extended test-taking time, ASL interpreters, captioning, notetaking services, readers, alternative formats of course materials, preferential seating, and assistive technology.

At the time of submission of the application. Documentation can now be uploaded to the electronic application form. In general, if you need accommodations that may take longer to set up, such as an interpreter, an audiobook, or a notetaker, we advise that you file an application and upload your supporting documentation at least six weeks before the start of each semester. Two weeks’ notice is sufficient if the desired accommodations do not require hiring a service provider and purchasing materials.

You are responsible for obtaining the required documentation and sending it to Accessibility Services. You are also responsible for all costs related to obtaining the documentation.